Most Americans eat some kosher food every day, but chances are they’re not aware of it. Take a walk down the aisles of any supermarket and you will see that certification appears on over 60% of America’s produced foods that are certified kosher, from the coveted Oreo to the thirst-quenching Coca-Cola. Over $150 billion of kosher certified products are consumed annually, and spending continues to rise dramatically.

Rabbi Safran Speaks At Buenos Aires Kosher Food Show

Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator for the Orthodox Union’s Kosher Division, will speak on “Maximizing your Company’s Potential with OU Certification,” at the third annual ArgenKosher international trade show in Buenos Aires.

ArgenKosher 2005 will be held at the Marriott Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires, on June 21 and 22. The show is being produced by TodoKosher.com, an organization that uses e-commerce to support the kosher market in Latin America.

The event is the only international kosher food and beverage exhibition to take place in the Mercosur, the common market comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile.

“Argentina is eagerly looking to get into the U.S. kosher market,” declared Rabbi Safran. “The OU has taken steps to help inform companies in South America that the OU is an excellent source from which they can learn about kosher certification. Having the OU symbol on a product will help companies get their products into the American and Israeli markets.”

This is the second year in a row that Rabbi Safran has attended the show. Since his appearance, several Argentinean companies have become OU certified and others are in the process.

The OU has been increasing its presence in South America, said Rabbi Safran. As result, more and more companies have sought and expressed interest in attaining OU supervision to enable them to export to both the U.S. and Israel. Consequently, Rabbi Safran’s address will be directed to this audience.

Of the approximately 300,000 Jews who live in Argentina, it is estimated that 50,000 of them eat only kosher food while others eat kosher food during Jewish holidays. Non-Jewish health conscious consumers have also become enamored of kosher products, with a market for kosher food existing among Muslims as well.

According to ArgenKosher 2005 organizers, 70 percent of kosher food products consumed in Argentina are manufactured locally. “Trends indicate that Argentina is fast becoming an exporter of kosher products,” say the show’s organizers. “Local kosher producers are aiming for the international markets based on high quality standards and a favorable rate of exchange.”